1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of mounting washing apparatus to environmental objects, and more particularly to suspending washing apparatus to mobile carts having tubular frames. In a broad sense, the present invention provides a mounting bracket and an associated adapter enabling articles adapted to accept screws from the bottom thereof to be mounted to any structure having a tubular frame including a generally vertical tubular post. In an exemplary application, a golf club washer is mounted to a golf cart.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Golfers playing on golf courses must usually carry their clubs and other golf equipment on wheeled carts, since volume and weight of the equipment exceeds that easily carried on the body. A golf club head washer is frequently encountered among the various types of golf related equipment which are carried with the player. A club washer usually includes a basin and a supply of cleaning fluid such as water. While a club washer can be carried anywhere in a cart, it is convenient to have the washer readily at hand so that a club may be cleaned immediately and expeditiously.
The prior art has proposed various golf ball and club washers, and has set forth some ways of attaching the same to golf carts. In one example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,155,883, issued to Raymond L. Legault on Oct. 20, 1999, shows a golf club cleaner adapted for clamped mounting to a golf cart. The clamp has an L-shaped jaw slidably engaging the liquid receptacle of the cleaner. The jaw closes over any suitable member of a golf cart. The device of Legault lacks a fully encircling sleeve or clamp which secures the novel bracket to a tubular frame member of a golf cart, as well as the bracket itself.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,758,379, issued to Vahak Stephan Hovnanian on Jun. 2, 1998, describes a golf ball washer which is adhered to a golf cart by a suction cup. This approach requires presence of a smooth, flat surface on the golf cart. By contrast, the present invention comprises a bracket having a mounting adapter surroundably engaging tubular members of the golf cart.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,572,761, issued to Roy Meyer on Nov. 12, 1996, describes a golf ball and club cleaner cup which is secured to a golf bag by a clip. By contrast, the present invention sets forth a bracket for mounting to tubular frame members of a golf cart.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,965,906, issued to Edward Mauro on Oct. 30, 1990, shows a golf ball and club cleaner which rests on a flat surface, such as the fender of a golf cart, on short legs. There is no connection of the cleaner to the cart. The present invention provides for direct connection of the cleaner to a frame member of the cart. There is no bracket in the device of Mauro.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,464,072, issued to John B. Norwell on Aug. 7, 1984, shows a cleaning device for golf clubs which device includes a holder comprising straps. The holder is similar to a harness formed from generally rigid straps, and has a clip to attach the harness to a golf bag. This device lacks the apparatus for engaging tubular frame members of a golf cart, as well as two spaced apart arms bearing eyes for receiving screws, both being features of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,806,122, issued to Evard Bogle et al. On September 15, describes a device having a golf ball washer and auxiliary features. The washer is asserted to be attachable to a golf cart. However, no structure for accomplishing attachment is disclosed. The present invention sets forth a bracket for engaging a ball washer and apparatus for securing the bracket to tubular frame members of a golf cart.
The prior art has failed to set forth attachment apparatus adapted to grasp a vertical tubular frame member of a golf cart for the purpose of securing a washing device, and a suitable bracket fixed to the attachment apparatus and disposed to adjustably receive the receptacle of a washer, as seen in the present invention.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
The present invention sets forth a bracket arrangement for securing a washer to a frame member of a golf cart, which frame member extends upwardly. The novel structure includes a component for engaging the frame and support arms extending beneath the washer. The support arms have eyelets for receiving screws which fasten the washer to the arms.
The component which engages the frame comprises in alternative embodiments, a sleeve and an adapter which is inserted into the sleeve, or a clamp. In the first alternative embodiment, the adapter adapts the sleeve to circular and polygonal frame members. The sleeve encircles the frame member and is prevented from sliding downwardly by a stop. The support arms are mounted in gimballing fashion to the sleeve. The washer therefore is held at the same angle to horizontal regardless of inclination, within limits, of the frame member of the golf cart. In the second alternative embodiment, the clamp utilizes threaded fasteners to close over the frame member. The support arms operate in gimballing fashion similarly to the embodiment employing the sleeve and adapter.
The support arms are removably attached to the sleeve utilizing components such as, in alternative embodiments, wing nuts and spring releases. The arms are thus readily assembled to and removed from the sleeve. The entire bracket assembly is readily assembled and disassembled using no more than a few ordinary hand tools.
The novel bracket can be attached to a cart without altering the cart, such as by drilling holes therein. It is readily removed from a cart, and is quite portable. Because of gimballing support of the washer and readily assembled and disassembled fasteners, the novel bracket is nearly universally usable with different models and configurations of golf and other carts having generally vertical or upwardly extending exposed frame members.
Accordingly, it is one object of the invention to provide a bracket suitable for mounting a washer to a golf cart.
It is another object of the invention to engage a frame member of the cart, and to avoid altering the frame member, such as by drilling holes therein.
It is a further object of the invention that the novel bracket be nearly universally applicable to diverse golf carts.
Still another object of the invention is to assure that a washer be supported in the same position from any of many different golf carts.
An additional object of the invention is that the novel bracket be readily assembled and disassembled.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.